Met Office issues yellow thunderstorm warnings for England and Wales

The Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for large parts of England and Wales, with the first alert coming into force at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, and remaining in effect until 10 p.m. that evening. The warnings cover a broad swathe of the country, including the South West, the Midlands, the North West, the South East, the East of England, London, and Wales, with forecasters warning of heavy rain, frequent lightning, large hail, and a risk of surface water flooding. The unsettled weather is attributed to warmer and more humid air moving north across the UK.